DE 10 2009 017 350 A1 discloses a motor vehicle front section with a bumper cladding and a bumper stiffening which extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the bumper cladding and cross beam running transversely. Predetermined breaking connections are provided as threaded connections between the cross beam and the bumper stiffening. In the case of a relatively low-energy collision with a pedestrian, the threaded connections should remain intact, in the event of a more energetic collision, possibly with a wall, the shear loading should be sufficient to tear off or tear out the fastener and/or fastener holes.
The tearing out of the fastener holes necessarily includes damage to the cross beam which involves a costly repair. However, the alternative of tearing off of the fasteners is problematical. The force required for tearing off a fastener generally fluctuates unpredictably from case to case. If it is too low, the stiffening effect of the bumper stiffening in the case of a collision is unsatisfactory; if it is too high, collision forces can be transmitted to the cross beam and damage this, which in this case also significantly increases the costs of a subsequent repair.